Pack Mentality
by MCat711
Summary: The castaways discover a Dharma genetics research station. Complications ensue. Grrr.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: This story was indirectly inspired by The Starhorse's TF fic "On Being Reduced To Instinct", which is a very good fic and you should read it. This fic takes place immediately following the events of the season 2 episode "The Hunting Party".

--

In times to come, Jack would look back and realize that nothing good could have come out of a day that began with Charlie waving his arms dramatically and declaring, "Ta-da!"

"OK..." Jack hesitated, then gave up. "What is it?"

"No idea," Charlie replied brightly. "Still, it's cool though, innit?"

Hurley, standing on Jack's other side, appeared a bit more nervous than Charlie. "We found it this morning." He gestured vaguely forward. "Kinda figured you'd wanna see it."

Jack took another step into the grassy clearing. Along the far edge, nestled up against the encircling jungle, a canopy of camouflage-patterned mesh was haphazardly propped up by several long metal poles, one of which was listing at a sharp inward angle. Beneath the questionable protection of the canopy was a bank of machinery. From where he stood, Jack could see what looked like the back of an archaic computer monitor, with thick cables running down into the apparatus beneath it. The metal might once have been gleaming white, but was now stained and discolored by rust and dirt.

Prominently displayed on the front panel, with a long streak of rust bisecting it straight down the center, was the all-too-familiar Dharma logo.

Jack gave a heavy exhalation. "Great," he said, deadpan. He began to walk towards the machinery with a slow and cautious pace, as if it might suddenly spring up and bite him. He spotted a previously-unseen figure crouched down behind the console, who stood up at his approach.

Locke gave an offhand wave. "Afternoon, Jack," he greeted through a mouthful of fruit.

"Afternoon, John," Jack replied, his voice neutral.

Locke gestured with one hand at the bank of equipment. "Doesn't seem to be in working order." He swallowed, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. With his other hand, he held up a faded blue backpack that looked as if it had been savaged by wild animals, then run over by a garbage truck for good measure. "These packs are empty, too. Nothing left but this." Setting the pack down, he picked up a Dharma-logo spiral notebook. Its pages were brown and rippled as if it had been lying in dirty water for a long time. He tossed it to Jack, who snatched it out of the air.

Jack riffled through the notebook before handing it off to Hurley. "So. More Dharma equipment, huh?" Jack turned to face Locke, and his smile became slightly brittle. "Keeping more discoveries to yourself, John?" he asked, a bit more nastily than he needed to.

"No," Locke retorted, a bit more defensively than _he _needed to. "You're here, aren't you?" Then he looked past Jack at a sound of approaching voices, accompanied by heavy footsteps crunching through the jungle.

Jack turned to look over his shoulder as an irate-looking Sawyer came storming into view, followed by an even more irate-looking Jin.

Jin was talking loudly and gesturing expansively with both hands. Sawyer gave him a sidewise glare, and as if he'd been repeating himself for some time now, growled out, "Listen, Kato, I don't know what the hell you think you're playin' at, but..." He stopped in his tracks and blinked at the sight of the Dharma equipment. "What the hell's that?"

Jack sighed. Obviously it was going to be one of _those _days.

****

--

Meanwhile, Charlie and Hurley had mutually concluded that there was nothing to be gained by getting involved in any argument that involved Sawyer. Therefore, they left Jack to sort things out and headed over to the Dharma station. Ducking under the sagging canopy, Charlie began a close inspection of the equipment. The computer monitor was coated with grime and dirt, as was the battered keyboard beneath it. Nearly every square inch of this side of the equipment was festooned with dials, knobs, switches, and colored indicator lights, all of which were dull and dark. There were labels in various places, but except for a few stranded letters, the writing had all faded or been washed away.

As his friend continued his examination, Hurley pried open the notebook and peered at one of the warped, brown-edged pages. "Hey, there's a drawing of a polar bear in here." He squinted at the page heading. "Ursus maritimus," he read aloud.

"Maritime," Charlie observed, selecting a random dial and spinning it back and forth. "That means having to do with the ocean."

Hurley gave him a look. "I _know _what it means."

The dial fell off in Charlie's hand. He looked at it for a moment, then surreptitiously stuck it back into place. "What else does it say?"

"Kinda hard to read...it's all smeared up. Something about ecosystems, DNA, stuff like that." Peeling apart another warped and rippled page, he read, "Canis lupus."

"Lupus?" Charlie looked skeptical. "Isn't that a disease?"

"What would they be working on a _disease _for?"

"What would they be working on _anything _for?" Charlie retorted. Idly, he flipped several random switches up and down. "Anything else?"

"Dunno, I can't read it." He gave a disappointed frown. "The writing's all washed out. And the rest of the pages are stuck together." He held the book out by the edge of the cover and shook it to indicate this.

Charlie shrugged. "Ah well. Nothing around here ever gets to be that easy, right?" He turned a few more dials, then flipped a large and important-looking switch.

With a loud hum, all the indicator lights lit up at once, red and yellow and green. Charlie and Hurley jerked back as if the thing had shocked them. A series of angular green zeros flared into life on the monitor screen. "Whoa!" Hurley observed, impressed. "You fixed it!"

"I didn't fix anything, it just..." Charlie trailed off as the final zero flipped into a one. Then, after briefly flickering back into a zero, it decided to become a four.

"Four what?" asked Hurley. The console beeped once. Then bright green letters scrolled into existence beneath the numbers:

PARAMETERS SET  
COUNTDOWN COMMENCING

A new number appeared on bottom of the screen: a five. Hurley looked dubious. "Um. Is it supposed to be doing that?" With another tinny beep, the green five changed to a four.

"How would I kn--?" Charlie cut himself off as he noticed a line of text printed along the bottom of the monitor screen, obscured by a smear of dirt. With a deep sense of foreboding, he ran his finger along it, wiping it clean.

It read, in black bold letters, **GENETIC ALTERATION.**

Charlie's throat suddenly went very, very dry. He and Hurley looked at each other.

The four beeped into a three.

They looked up. They realized simultaneously that the clearing in front of the station, which had seemed to be nearly circular, was in fact _perfectly _circular. Locke was crouched down towards the edge of the circle, peeling away a strip of turf with a puzzled frown. The improbably-still-arguing Jin and Sawyer were nearly in the center. And Jack was standing off to one side of them, looking as if he was one second away from flinging up his hands and storming off.

The three became a two.

"Hey!" Charlie called urgently, rising to his feet, but his voice went unheard as Locke called out at the same time, "Jack!"

Jack looked over. Locke called out, "There's metal under here! We're standing on...!"

The two became a one.

"HEY!" Charlie shouted at the top of his lungs, as Hurley started to jump up and down and frantically wave his arms. Everyone looked at him. "Get out of there!" Charlie yelled. "Get out--!"

The one became a zero.

A blast of blinding white light exploded from beneath the clearing with a deafening bass _THRUMM _that shook the earth, knocking Charlie and Hurley off their feet. Blinking dumbly, they coughed and rubbed their faces as a barrage of dirt and burned grass showered down on them.

The last vibrations of the sound died away, replaced by a gentle hissing noise. Hurley doubled over in a violent coughing fit as Charlie waved his hand in front of his face, trying to clear the air. Stunned and shaking, he clambered to his feet. "Jack!" he called, coughing into his fist. "John! Anyb--!"

He cut himself off and stared in open-mouthed shock. "What?" Hurley called, hauling himself upright. "_What? _Are they OK? What happ--"

Just like Charlie had, Hurley froze in mid-word and stood staring in silent horror. The metal platform was now fully revealed, covered only with the remnants of dirt and dead grass that showered back down from the air. And on its surface, four figures lay unmoving.

Charlie looked at Hurley.

Hurley looked at Charlie.

And Hurley said, "Oooohhh...shit."

****

--

Jack's eyes snapped open.

He was lying on his back, staring straight up at the afternoon sky, and he squinted against its brilliance. The air was filled with a pungent stink of burned vegetation, so strong it seemed to coat the inside of his nostrils. Tiny random motes swirled lazily through his field of vision. At first, he thought there was something wrong with his eyes, then realized he was seeing blades of grass drifting through the air, gradually settling back to earth. A shred of white cloth, looking like the same material as his shirt, floated gently down towards him and landed on his nose. Jack sneezed, sending it flying skyward again.

_What happened? _he thought sluggishly. He remembered Charlie yelling, and then...what? He recalled a blinding white light obliterating his vision, and a sound from beneath the ground, so loud and deep it seemed to vibrate his bones to powder. And after that had been the sensation that every cell in his body had turned inside-out all at once.

He'd prefer to never experience _that _again.

Jack yawned widely and stretched, squeezing his eyes shut as he rolled over, flopping down on his left side. Mentally, he took inventory of himself. There was no pain, and nothing seemed to be injured. In fact, he felt unusually strong and energized, better than he'd felt in weeks. But in some indefinable way, he also felt...wrong. He wondered if he'd concussed himself when he fell; that would explain why trying to think felt like wading through waist-deep tar. He felt warm, too, much more than he had been earlier, as if his entire body was soaking up the sun's heat. _How long was I out? _he wondered. _Why's it so hard to think straight?_

Jack felt his brow crease in worry as he realized something else. _I can't move my hands._ His eyes were still shut, and he tried to flex his fingers or make a fist, but felt nothing happening. However, before he could open his eyes to look...

_"YrrrreeeeRRRRllp?!"_

A bizarre noise, half growl and half yelp, came from behind him. Jack snorted and opened his eyes, rolling over onto his other side. His mouth dropped open in shock.

Right next to him, a large, shaggy wolf was struggling to its feet, kicking itself free of what seemed to be an entangling mesh of shredded blue fabric. The creature stood unsteadily on all fours, legs splayed out as his paws slipped on the slick metal surface. Jack's color vision didn't seem to be working all that well, but he got the impression that the wolf's fur was shades of gold; darker golden-brown along his back and thick neck ruff, shading to pale gold on his legs and belly. As the creature looked back at himself, he gave another loud yelp and started to whip frantically back and forth as if trying to catch his own tail.

And all the while, Jack heard Sawyer's voice--not coming in through his ears, but seeming to be broadcast directly into his skull. _What the hell? _the voice demanded. _What the hell? What the HELL?!_

Jack felt a shudder run through him, and swallowed hard._ That's impossible...that can't possibly be..._ He tried to ask aloud, "Sawyer?" But only a formless sound came from his own throat.

The gold-furred wolf spun around and stared at him with frantic blue eyes. Then he gave a sharp whine as his ears flattened back against his skull. _Jack? _Sawyer's voice came again. _Hell, Doc, is that YOU?_

Jack tried to clamber to his feet. His legs tangled in something, and he struggled to get free of it. _What happened to y--? _he tried to ask. But he cut himself off as he realized there were two more wolves just beyond Sawyer.

One was a slender, elegant creature with a glossy coat and upright, sharply pointed ears. He had a striking coat pattern of jet-black markings against a gold so pale it was almost white. The black fur ran along his back, tail, and neck, and he had black markings along the sides of his face and the top of his head. He blinked his dark, almond-shaped eyes and stared all around him. Then he raised a forepaw to rub frantically at the side of his narrow muzzle, sharp white fangs bared in an expression of outrage mingled with fear.

And furthest away on Jack's right was a fourth wolf, a stocky creature with gray and white fur, rounded ears, and a wide muzzle. The faint line of a scar was visible through the fur beneath his right eye. The gray shook himself from head to tail-tip, then stared back along the length of his body with pale blue eyes. He raised and lowered one hind leg, then the other, with a thoughtful, preoccupied expression.

Jack's heart pounded in his chest. _Sawyer, Jin, Locke, _he thought. _They're all--but--why didn't it happen to m--_

He never finished the thought, as he realized a dark muzzle was intruding itself into the center of his field of vision.

Jack stopped breathing, and felt his bones turn to solid ice inside him. Slowly, trying to pretend he didn't already know what he'd see, he looked down.

He was standing on all fours on a flat metal surface. There was a mass of ripped fabric surrounding him; all that was left of his clothing. And where his hands should have been, he saw a pair of wide, black-furred paws supporting his weight.

Slowly, he lifted a paw. He looked at it for a moment, set it back down again, and let out a slow, deep breath.

_Oh_, he thought.

****

--

Underneath the canopy, Hurley stared straight ahead without blinking, rocking back and forth and hugging his arms across his chest. "Oh God." He swallowed hard, looking as if he was about to be sick. "Oh God. Oh God."

"Will you shut up?!" Charlie's voice was tight and high-pitched as he ran his hands through his hair, mussing it up even more than usual.

"Oh God," Hurley went on heedlessly. He watched in wide-eyed horror as the largest wolf, a long-legged animal with a jet-black pelt, shook himself all over and turned penetrating hazel-green eyes towards him. "Oh God that's Jack and _he's looking at me oh God he's looking right at me!!"_

"Calm down. Just...calm down." Charlie's own panicky tone didn't do much to help matters, however. "We'll just flip the switch back and it'll fix this, right?"

Hurley continued to stare at the wolves as if hypnotized. "Right...sure...OK..."

"Right. Here we go." Charlie looked down at the console, mentally refused to acknowledge that the monitor had gone dark and was emitting a thin streamer of smoke, and flipped the switch back.

It went _click_.

"Er..." Charlie's heartbeat spiked into double-time. He flipped the switch up and down, then again, more urgently each time. _Click, click, click, click_.

"Dude..." Hurley's voice went very quiet.

"I know, I know!" There was a faint _spitz _noise from deep inside the machinery, and the nostril-stinging smell grew stronger. Frantically, Charlie reached down and jiggled a likely-looking panel free from its moorings. He was rewarded with a faceful of acrid smoke and several flying sparks.

Coughing and hacking, Charlie waved his hands to dispel the smoke. "Oh, bollocks," he muttered. "Um...all right...nothing to worry about, all we need to do is...is..."

"Ummm..." Hurley's single syllable managed to embody a world of foreboding. "I think we've...like...got a real problem here."

Charlie could have shot back with any number of sarcastic and witty rejoinders. But at this point, all he could do was nod, swallow, and say, "Yeah."

****

--

As yet oblivious to the situation under the canopy, Jack and Sawyer faced each other, ears forward and heads down. The gold-furred wolf shuddered all over as if trying to throw something off something clinging, then squeezed his eyes shut and growled. _This is crazy, _Sawyer said, with an undertone of terror. _This is so damn--_

Don't panic, Jack urged. Although the way his own legs were shaking, he felt like he was in no position to be offering advice. He looked around at the other wolves, who were moving closer towards them. _Just...don't anyone panic, OK? We'll get through this._

Sawyer took a shuddering breath, then let it out with a grumble. _Yeah, _he said, seeming to regain some of his composure. He opened his eyes again, his jaw set in a grim line. _Yeah. All right. _He stared at Jack, then narrowed his eyes and cocked his head to one side. _So how is it I'm hearin' you? _he demanded, with a trace of nervousness. _You in my head now, Doc?_

I don't... Jack thought for a moment, stepping back a pace as he vigorously shook his head, ears flopping against his skull. _I don't think so. I just sort of...understand what you're saying. _That didn't sound like a good explanation even to himself. But figuring out the details of their communication was fairly low on Jack's current list of priorities, all things considered.

_Huh. So can I think anything without you knowin' it? _Sawyer stepped back, blue eyes slitted in suspicion. _What am I thinkin' now?_ He paused, and Jack "heard" nothing.

****

Jack shook his head. _I don't know._

Sawyer smirked. _Good. _Then he turned his gaze towards the other two wolves, the fur bristling along his back and neck. _I tell you one thing,_ he went on to say, as he dipped his head and bared his teeth. _None of you sons-of-bitches better even THINK about sniffing my ass._

Jack gave a snort of mingled laughter and disgust. But he sensed that underneath Sawyer's bravado, he was still afraid, almost terrified. Jack couldn't blame him; he felt like he was teetering on the brink of hysteria himself. But he only retorted, _I don't think that'll be a problem, Sawyer._

_Indeed. _The voice was Locke's. Jack turned to face him; the gray-and-white wolf was sitting back on his haunches with a detached, vaguely amused expression that was pure Locke.

_You all right? _Jack demanded, annoyed by the other's nonchalance.

Locke nodded coolly. Sawyer snorted and looked the gray wolf up and down. _So how come you got fur like the rest of us? _he demanded. _Shouldn't you be bald?_

There was a chortling noise from Jin as Locke looked miffed, pinning back his ears and narrowing his eyes.

Jack blinked, tilting his head quizzically as he turned towards Jin. _Wait. You understood that? You know what we're saying?_

The dark-eyed wolf sat down, and stared intently at him for a moment. Then, slowly, he nodded. _I...understand you. Yes._

Sawyer made a _hmmph _noise, padding around the perimeter of the group. _Well, I'll be damned. _He curled his lip, showing sharp white fangs. _This's what it takes to get you to learn the language, huh?_

Jack sat back on his haunches, still looking at Jin. _Makes sense, in a way._ He felt an itch behind his right ear, and experienced a moment's mental paralysis as he worked out how to scratch it. _If we're speaking...wolfish, or whatever._ _Ah, hell..._ He gave up on his dignity, and lifted a hindleg to scratch at the ear for all he was worth, ignoring Sawyer's lupine smirk.

Jin looked around at them all, then cautiously asked, _How did this happen?_

Locke nodded towards the Dharma station. _I think your answer's over there, Jin._ The others turned, and saw Charlie and Hurley frantically fiddling with the smoke-spewing equipment, without producing any obvious results. _Doesn't look good, does it, _Locke observed quietly, almost to himself.

Sawyer growled. _Well, it better **start **lookin' good pretty damn soon, that's all I can say._ He glared at the two humans, who were conversing in frantic whispers, and seemed to be trying very hard not to look at them. _What, did they break the goddamn thing? _He snorted. _Figures._

Although Jack knew he should be more worried about the situation under the canopy, he found it hard to drag his attention away from the other wolves. He was beginning to feel a strange, increasing tension in the group, and in himself. They all appeared to be avoiding looking directly at one another. If any of them happened to make eye contact, they quickly looked away as if they'd committed some faux pas. Jack had a strong feeling that something important needed to be done, but didn't understand exactly what.

Wondering what would happen, he glanced over at Jin, who looked back at him with nothing more than curiosity. However, this time, Jack didn't look away. Jin seemed to grow uncomfortable under the direct stare, and he shifted position uneasily before looking away, lowering his head and ears.

Not fully understanding why he felt compelled to do so, Jack turned his gaze towards Locke. Again he felt the tension building as the other wolf stared back with pale, impassive eyes. Jack rose to all fours, feeling his back stiffen and his tail--he winced inwardly at the concept of "his tail"--rising high above his back. The gray wolf looked him up and down, and flickered an ear in seeming amusement. Slowly and deliberately, Locke averted his gaze, as if implying that he could do otherwise but chose to go along with things...for now.

That left Sawyer. Jack turned to face him, and their gazes locked. Sawyer stared back without blinking, blue eyes narrowing as his lips pulled back from his teeth. _What're you starin' at? _he demanded with a low, deep growl.

Jack heard a rippling snarl coming from his own throat, and felt the fur along his neck standing on end. He felt a mingled bewilderment at his own reaction and a growing fury at the instinctively perceived defiance. Finally, with a deep horror, he understood what was happening.

_Sawyer! _he pleaded, as another, louder snarl guttered its way out of him. _Back down!_

They were circling each other now, black and gold manes bristling, muzzles wrinkled and lips peeled back from dagger-like fangs. _YOU back down!_ Sawyer snarled in reply.

Jack's rage began to overtake his reason. _Sawyer, back down, or I swear to you I'll..._

And then, without warning, reason deserted him entirely.

****

--

"Oh God!" Hurley clapped both hands over his mouth, his eyes round as saucers. "Oh God they're _fighting_!!"

"Oh no..." Charlie breathed in disbelief as the snapping, snarling ball of fur thrashed its way across the grass-strewn platform. "Hey!" he called, to no avail. He waved his arms desperately. "Stop it! Stop fighting, you bloody lunatics!"

"You gotta do something, man!" Hurley shouted, grabbing Charlie by the shoulders and shaking him until his eyeballs rattled. "They'll kill each other!"

"All right, all right! Er..." He looked around frantically, and spotted a nearby rock about the size of an egg. In desperation, he snatched it, drew his arm back, and threw...

****

--

The rock thunked into the golden wolf's ribcage with what seemed an unfair accuracy. With an outraged yelp, he was knocked off balance and started to fall sideways. The black wolf took instant advantage, rising up and tackling his opponent broadside. Sawyer toppled over and landed heavily on his side, knocking the air out of him. Jack pinned him, planting his forepaws on Sawyer's side and glaring down. _Dammit, Sawyer, _he thought with mingled pleading and exasperation, sides heaving as he panted for breath. _Just...give it...up!_

With one last stubborn growl, Sawyer gave in. He averted his gaze and tucked his tail between his legs, slowly raising his head to expose his throat. Jack fought down a repellent urge to bite, and, swishing his tail once, stepped back and away. Apparently the wolf's instincts were satisfied, as he felt himself start to relax.

_Asshole, _Sawyer said. Jack heard a low chuckling from Jin, who'd prudently stayed out of the fight and sat watching them from the edge of the clearing. Sawyer rose and shook himself off, very deliberately acting as if nothing at all had happened. Then he glared at Jin. _What, you think somethin's funny?_

Sawyer lowered his muzzle and sniffed at the rock that had struck him. Then he shot a glare towards the two humans crouched behind the console, who looked as if they were a fraction of a second away from sprinting for their lives. _You little Limey bastard! _Sawyer growled, sounding enraged and incredulous at the same time. _You hit me with a goddamn ROCK!_

Jack gave a grumbling sigh, wiping the side of his muzzle with a foreleg. _Give it a rest, Sawyer._

_Yeah, well,_ the other retorted. _I woulda kicked your ass otherwise, you know that..._

In a swift motion, Jin rose to all fours with a grunt of surprise. _What? _Jack asked.

The bicolored wolf pointed his muzzle towards the tree line. _Locke is gone._

Jack turned. Sniffing the air only confirmed what his eyes told him; the fourth member of their impromptu pack had apparently left some time ago.

_Dammit! _Jack fumed. He barely registered Charlie and Hurley's shouts of "stay here" and "we'll be right back". As the two humans ran off, he glanced back at the other wolves. _We've gotta go after him._

Whattaya mean, "we"? Sawyer glowered at him, then jerked his head sharply towards the Dharma station. _You think I'm gonna find myself elsewhere if that thing decides to undo our little career change, here?_

Jin looked uncertainly from Jack to the equipment as if torn with indecision. _I will go with you, _he finally offered.

Jack exhaled heavily. _No, _he decided. _You both stay here, just in case. I'll find him._

Sawyer padded to the edge of the clearing, where the grass still grew undamaged around the perimeter of the metal platform. He flopped down heavily in the shade of the nearest tree and curled his lip in a sneer. _Yessir, mister pack leader, sir._

Jack ignored him, and looked towards Jin. _I'll be back._

Jin nodded, and watched him lope off into the jungle. Then he looked over at Sawyer, who had stretched out full-length and closed his eyes as if to sleep, or else simply to ignore the world for a while. Jin turned his head towards the trees, back in the direction from which they'd first come. For a moment, he hesitated. Then he rose to all fours, and unnoticed by Sawyer, silently padded away.

****

--

The black wolf turned his head this way and that as he trotted through the jungle, looking, listening, smelling. Jack pushed his way beneath the branches of a car-sized bush with wide, serrated leaves. For a moment, he sat down to rest, panting in the oppressive heat. It was a warm day even by island standards, and having acquired a thick coat of black fur wasn't helping matters.

_Locke! _he tried calling out loud, and was rewarded only with a weird sort of bark-yelp. Flattening his ears in annoyance, he tried thinking it instead: _John! Where are you?_

There was no answer, but he hadn't really expected one. _This is insane, _he told himself, a low rumble sounding in his throat. _This whole thing is completely..._

Jack cut himself off, forcing the thoughts aside. He knew deep down that if he let himself think too long and hard about what had happened to him, he would go out of his mind. The only way he could deal with the situation was by concentrating on the present moment, and the immediate problem. Which, at the moment, happened to be Locke.

Jack stepped out of the shade into the blazing sunlight, and cast his gaze around the surrounding jungle. His new senses were strange, and a bit unsettling. Colors were grayed-out and largely indistinguishable, except for a few particularly vivid flowers here and there. But the sounds were incredible, and the _smells_...the smells almost overwhelmed his mind. The thick, leafy smells of vegetation mingled and overlapped with the aromas of fruits and flowers and wood. Some smells were fresh and bright, others dark and musky, and some had a faint, dark reek of decay and death.

And besides the scents and sounds of the jungle itself were those of the creatures that lived and moved within it: birds and reptiles, frogs and insects, things he couldn't even identify. The island seethed with multitudes of life; and every creature, no matter how miniscule, had its own sound and scent and purpose.

Despite himself, Jack was intrigued. Obviously the wolf's mind placed a much higher priority on smell than on sight. He could probably navigate through the jungle with his eyes closed, now. Whereas he could hardly keep from walking around in circles when he'd been human...

Again, Jack stopped himself, shaking his head violently as if trying to throw off an annoying insect. He couldn't start thinking of his humanity in the past tense. And he tried to clamp down on treacherous feelings of satisfaction; a deep, intuitive sense that what he was now was exactly what he was supposed to be. _It's just some weird reaction to the...to what happened, _he told himself firmly. _It has to be._

He forced himself to focus on his surroundings, ears moving to and fro as he listened for any clues to Locke's whereabouts. He could hear the wind moving in the branches high above, birds chirping and whistling their constant songs, tree frogs droning away to each other. And beyond that, not far away, was the sound of moving water: a stream.

Realizing he was very thirsty, Jack started in that direction. From what his nose could tell him, Locke was heading that way too. Jack could catch the scent here and there as he walked; the other was probably trying to hide his trail, but couldn't disguise it completely.

In short order, he came to the stream. It was shallow and fast-moving, rushing and gurgling its way over tumbled clutches of round stones. Momentarily forgetting everything but his thirst, he trotted into the shallows and lowered his head to drink. Then he yelped in surprise and jumped back with a splash. A dark, menacing shape had loomed up at him from under the water.

Pausing to think, he shook his head and silently called himself an idiot. Preparing himself this time, he leaned back over the stream. He regarded his reflection dispassionately. He saw a thick ruff of velvety black fur, a straight, solid muzzle, upright pointed ears. And intense, piercing lupine eyes, hazel around the pupils, shading to dark green around the edges.

Jack saw nothing in those eyes that he recognized as himself.

He swallowed. _Right, _he thought. Squeezing his eyes shut against the sight, Jack bent down and lowered his muzzle, greedily lapping up the fresh, cool water. Then he happened to wonder, _How exactly am I doing this?_ And of course, as soon as he thought about it, he sputtered and nearly choked, the water spilling out from his jaws and dripping down his chin.

He jerked his head up at the sound of a dry chuckle. _Happened to me, too, _said Locke's voice. _The trick is not to think about it. _Jack whirled around and saw Locke sunning himself atop a large boulder beside the stream, forelegs crossed before him in a nonchalant pose.

Jack growled and stiffened at the sight; something about being looked down on from above was intolerable. With an attitude of utter coolness, Locke jumped down from the boulder, landing lightly and shaking himself off. The gray wolf then sat down and deliberately lifted his head, showing the white fur along his throat in a placating gesture. Jack felt himself relax, but was vaguely unsettled that once again he'd reacted in a way he couldn't control, due to a situation he didn't really understand.

_Sorry, _Locke offered. _I should've remembered; high-ranking wolves don't like being looked down on by a...subordinate. _Jaws open in a canine grin, he stood up and trotted over towards Jack. _Fascinating creatures, wolves. I don't suppose you've read a lot about them?_

Jack looked him up and down with a snort of annoyance. _Don't you think you're taking this a little **too **well?_

The gray wolf cocked his head to one side. _How so?_ he replied, sounding faintly amused. _There are worse fates. We aren't actually suffering here, are we?_

That's not the point! Jack snapped--literally snapped, jaws shutting on air. _Besides, what did you think you were doing, running off like that?_

Locke shrugged. _What would be the point of staying?_

Jack stared at him as if he'd taken leave of his senses. _So we can get put back to normal, John!_

With a snorted chuckle, Locke shook his head. _'Normal.' Now I'd say that's a pretty loaded term. Besides... _The gray wolf paused, and his pale eyes bored into Jack's. _...what makes you think that's what I want?_

Jack felt his jaw drop open. _I don't believe this, _he fumed, shutting his mouth. _You actually want to stay this way?_

_Might not be a question of what anyone wants._ Locke glanced away, then looked back at him. _Do you really think they'll get that equipment running again? It looked pretty hopeless to me._

He rose to all fours, and began to pace a slow circle around Jack. _And even if they do, _he went on relentlessly, _what are the odds of putting us back the way we were? They start fooling around with that thing, anything at all could happen. _He stopped, face-to-face with Jack. _Better to leave well enough alone._

Jack stared at him for a moment, then shivered and shut his eyes. _Don't say that. I can't... _He looked back at him, ears sagging back against his skull, eyes growing desperate. _...we can't just stay like this._

Locke shrugged again. _You'll get used to it._

NO! The violence of Jack's reaction surprised even himself. He advanced on Locke, fangs bared in a snarl. _We're going back. You and me. Now._

No. Locke faced him down, the fur along his neck ruffled, his blue eyes unblinking as they locked stares. _You can beat me up if it makes you happy, Jack. But you can't make decisions for me. _He took a step closer, until their muzzles were inches apart. _So you either drag me back fighting every inch of the way...or you let me go._

For a moment, it almost seemed that they would fight. But finally, Jack gave a heavy, frustrated sigh, lowered his head, and stepped aside. _You're making a mistake, John._

Locke nodded, once. _Maybe. But it's my mistake to make._

As the other wolf padded past him, heading for the stream, Jack called out, _What about pushing the button? _Locke stopped, but didn't turn to face him. _What about saving the world?_

Locke glanced back over his shoulder with a trace of his old smirk, and his tail swished once. _Maybe it's someone else's turn to save the world for a while. Besides, _he added as he turned away, _you can't tell me that deep down, you're not enjoying this._

The gray splashed his way across the stream, and trotted between the dark, twisted trees on the other bank, disappearing from sight. The black wolf sat down, lowered his ears, and stared down at the rushing waters for a long time.

_That's not true, _he said, finally. But he didn't know to whom he said it.


	2. Chapter 2

Sayid sat heavily down in the dirt beneath a tall tree, lying back to rest against the rough trunk and stretching his legs out before him. He took a long drink from the water bottle he carried. For a moment, he lay back with his eyes half-closed, listening to the sound of the wind in the leaves. He'd just finished his shift in the hatch, and had no particular reason to be anywhere for the rest of the afternoon. For a moment, he considered returning to the beach, but decided against it. Although his mood wasn't as dark as it had been in recent days, he felt no particular need for company just now.

So it was with a certain sense of irony that he became aware of heavy footsteps crunching through the jungle, coming towards him. Sayid shook his head with a sardonic expression, taking another long drink. It took no particular skill to determine who was approaching, especially now that their voices were clearly audible.

"When we find him, I'll do the talking, all right?"

"Fine, dude. Whatever."

"Just leave everything to me. Don't worry."

"Who's worried? Just because...oh." This last was uttered as the pair came into view. Hurley closed his mouth, then opened it again. "Um. Sayid. Hey. We thought you'd be back at the hatch, but...um...you're here," he pointed out unnecessarily.

"Afternoon, Sayid," Charlie offered, far too brightly and enthusiastically. "How's it going? Lovely weather, eh?"

Sayid suppressed a sigh. "What can I do for you gentlemen?" he asked, suspecting the rest of his day was going to be far more complicated than he'd originally planned.

Hurley began, "Um...we need you to help fix something."

"Oh?" Sayid shifted position. "What?"

"Uh..." Hurley elbowed Charlie in the ribs, causing him to stumble sideways. "You tell him."

"Um, the thing is..." Charlie trailed off helplessly, did a sort of frantic dance in place, then finally confessed, "We, ah, found some more Dharma equipment, you see."

Sayid sat up straighter at this, and his expression became one of keen interest. "You did? Where?"

Charlie gestured, "Thataway, not too far. But the problem is, um, well, we were messing about with it..."

"'We'?" Hurley broke in defensively.

Ignoring him, Charlie finished, "And it sort of...broke."

Sayid looked confused. "So? What were you trying to do with it?"

"Umm." Charlie looked as if it was causing him physical pain to continue. He glanced up at Hurley, who kept his mouth sullenly shut. "Thing is, it was this computer equipment, with a screen and switches and so on, and it said on it...um. Genetic...alteration...sort of thing."

Sayid stared at him. "Genetic alteration."

Charlie winced, and continued in a very small voice. "And...it went off and got, um..." He finished very quickly, "Locke and Jin and Sawyer and Jack."

Sayid's water bottle thudded to the ground, its contents running in a thin rivulet through the dirt. Slowly, he rose to his feet. Trying to suppress horrific mental images of mutilation and death, he asked in a quiet, dangerous tone, "What...happened to them?"

Hurley, perhaps seeing his life flash before his eyes, hastened to assure him. "No, no, they're OK! They're not...hurt or anything..."

"Quite healthy, in fact," Charlie added, avoiding eye contact.

"But...they're kind of..." Hurley swallowed hard. "Look, you better just come and see."

"All right." Sayid gestured forward. "Take me to them."

They headed off into the jungle. "We're really sorry about this," Charlie said.

"Really, _really _sorry," Hurley added.

Sayid's shoulders heaved in a world-weary sigh. "Somehow," he said, "I am absolutely certain that you are."

****

--

Sawyer lay beneath an arching canopy of palm fronds that swayed gently in the breeze. He stared ferociously at the equipment that was responsible for his current state, as if he could force it to change him back through sheer willpower. He'd been listening intently for any sounds that might indicate it was about to fire up again, but so far his vigil had been fruitless. _Son of a bitch,_ he growled at it, not for the first time.

Then he sat partway up and looked over his shoulder at an approaching sound. His nose told him who it was well before the black wolf trotted into view, panting heavily from exertion. _Find 'im?_ Sawyer asked, without any real interest.

Jack grunted in annoyance as he joined him in the shade. _Yeah, I found him._ He sat heavily down, and glanced back in the direction he'd come from. _Problem is, he doesn't want to come back._

Sawyer gave a lupine shrug. _Let 'im go, then. What do you care?_

Jack shook his head._ It's just..._ Then he looked all around the clearing as if noticing something for the first time. _Where's Jin?_

Sawyer gave him a look. _How the hell would I know?_

What? Jack jumped to all fours, teeth bared in outrage. _You let him go?_

Flattening his ears in annoyance, Sawyer grumbled, _Whattaya mean, "let him go"? I ain't holdin' anyone's leash here, Jacko._

The black wolf exhaled heavily, and sat back down with a thump. _Great, _he observed sardonically. _Just great._

Reaching up with a hind leg to scratch vigorously at his neck, Sawyer slitted his eyes and asked, _Mind tellin' me what's got your tail in such a twist?_

Jack glared at him, then looked away. For a moment, he didn't reply, as if he was trying to work out a response. Finally, he said, _We should all be together. _He looked back at Sawyer with a faintly uncomfortable expression. _It's just this feeling I have. I know it doesn't make sense, but... _He hesitated, then went on, _I need for us all to be together._

Neither one spoke for a while. Jack appeared embarrassed by his revelation, while Sawyer seemed to be pondering what to say next. Finally, as if struggling with himself, he looked at Jack and said, _Hey...Doc. _He grumbled in his throat, and turned away, rubbing aimlessly at the dirt with a forepaw. _You think they'll be able to...I mean... _He swallowed as he looked back up. _We're gonna come back from this, right? _He tried to keep his feelings concealed, but couldn't hide the fear in his eyes.

Jack hesitated a moment too long._ Yeah. Of course we are_. _Don't worry about it._

_Yeah, _Sawyer replied, looking down and away. _Right._

Then both wolves turned their heads at once, ears aimed forward. Sawyer gave a low growl, observing, _Sounds like Beavis 'n' Butthead are comin' back._ His ears moved as he listened, then lifted his muzzle and sniffed the air. _Well, well, and they brought our ol' pal Torture Boy with 'em._ _Ain't that a kick in the head._

Jack made a _hmmph _noise, rising to all fours. _Well, _he said dryly, _we can't have changed **too **much if you can still think up insulting nicknames._ The black wolf headed for the approaching sounds, nosing his way through the dangling palm leaves. _Come on, let's see if we can talk to them._

Yeah, that'll work, Sawyer observed sarcastically, climbing to his feet. _Arf arf, come quick, Timmy fell down the goddamn well again. _He followed Jack for a moment, then paused. _Hey, Jack, _he called out.

__

The other wolf turned back to face him. Sawyer continued grumpily, _If it's all the same to you, I'm gonna hit the road for a bit._ He gestured with his muzzle towards the approaching figures._ Not too keen on givin' Abdul there a chance to gloat at me, know what I mean?_

Jack managed to look sardonic even in wolf form. _Like you'd do if it was him, you mean?_ Sawyer shrugged and gave a mischievous grin, tail swishing back and forth. _Fine, _Jack went on. _Why don't you see if you can find Jin? He's probably heading towards the beach._

Sawyer dipped his head in mocking acknowledgment. _Can do, Boss Dog. _As Sayid came into view, followed closely by the other two, the golden wolf stalked past with his head held high, not even sparing them a glance. As he passed the computer equipment, he gave it a sidewise glare. Pausing in front of the Dharma logo, he sniffed at it, and snorted. Then he turned his back to it, lifted a hind leg, eloquently expressed his views on the entire situation, and padded off in disgust.

****

--

Sayid watched in silence as the gold-furred wolf trotted off into the jungle. Then he turned to stare at the black wolf, who looked away, managing to give off a distinctly embarrassed air. He couldn't help but notice that the creature was wearing a silver key on a knotted cord around its neck.

Sayid looked at Charlie.

He looked at Hurley.

And Hurley, shoulders sagging, said, "You're gonna kill us now, aren't you."

****

--

Effortlessly, with barely a conscious thought, Sawyer tracked Jin through the jungle. The wolf trotted along with his head held high, occasionally stopping to sniff at a trace of scent here and there. Of course, if he was honest with himself, he didn't even need his newly acquired senses to follow the trail: all he had to do was walk in a straight line. Jin's path never veered even slightly, except for when there was a particularly large tree or other obstacle directly in his path.

Pausing for a moment, the gold-furred wolf raised his muzzle and sniffed the air. He could smell the salty tang of the sea carried along on the breeze, and hear the distant, muffled crashing of the waves. So Jack's guess had been right; Jin was heading straight for the beach. _Probably off to pine over his lady love, _Sawyer thought with a grunt of disgust. _Aww, how sweet._

He started forward again, nosing his way through a waving sea of emerald grass that grew higher than his back. Several blades had already been broken off or trampled down by Jin's passage; apparently he'd passed through in quite a hurry. As Sawyer trotted on, he couldn't help but admit he was enjoying some aspects of his current situation. He reveled in his new strength and power, and the wolf's effortless freedom of movement. His strides seemed to eat up the ground, as if he could run for days and never get tired.

Briefly, he entertained a mischievous fantasy of running at top speed through the beach camp, scaring everyone out of their wits. And, he thought with a lupine grin, royally pissing off Jack in the process. However, tempting though it was, he decided against it. _Be just my luck, _he thought sardonically, _if somebody decided to take a shot at me._

Thinking of the castaways at the beach made him pause. For a moment, he felt a flicker of paranoia; what if somebody had raided his tent in his absence? What if they were going through his things at this very moment?

His pace quickened at the thought, paws crunching through the grass as the meadow gradually gave way to a stand of thin, smooth-barked trees. _I catch anyone messin' with my stash, _he growled to himself, _and I'll..._

Sawyer stopped in place. What _would _he do? Bite them? He grimaced at the thought, curling his lip. His mood turned gloomy as he stared down at his front paws, their pale gold fur discolored with dirt and grass stains. _'Sides, _he thought, _not like my stuff's any damn good to me now._

Pinning his ears back against his skull, he shivered his skin, ruffling his thick pelt. He looked all around him, at a jungle that suddenly seemed vast and empty, and incredibly lonely. The fear that had been creeping around the back of his mind since the transformation slipped into the forefront of his thoughts. _Can't even talk any more..._

He didn't want to admit to himself just how much it unnerved him to be without a voice...and how frightening it was to face being silenced forever. A faint whimper emerged from his throat, and the pathetic sound was embarrassing enough to snap him out of his mood.

Sawyer shook himself off and started resolutely forward again, winding his way through the slender trees. _Enough poor-pitiful-me crap, _he told himself. He sniffed the ground as he walked; the other wolf's scent was getting stronger.

He'd been hearing voices from up ahead for some time now, so it surprised him that it took several more minutes of walking before the beach finally came into view. Apparently his hearing was even sharper than he thought. Soon enough, Sawyer spotted Jin. The black-and-gold wolf lay concealed behind a dense clump of foliage beneath the trees that separated the shore from the jungle. A narrow ridge of sand sloped down to the beach, and beyond that, three figures sat beneath a sheltering palm tree: Sun, Claire, and Kate.

There was a small pile of clothes between the three women, as if they were sorting them. Sun sat with her back to the tree, her hands moving as she talked. Claire sat beside her, listening intently and rocking the burbling Aaron in her arms. And Kate sat facing them, with her back to the two wolves. Sawyer couldn't see her expression, but from the way her shoulders shook at something Claire said, he could tell she was laughing. She reached up to brush a stray lock of hair from her face, her posture relaxed and comfortable, as if she didn't have a care in the world.

Sawyer felt strangely uncomfortable at the sight of her, as if at any moment she might whirl around and see him, and be horrified and repulsed by what she saw. But he pushed his feelings aside and looked over at Jin. The other was intent on watching Sun, oblivious to his approach. Sawyer gave a wolfish grin, tongue lolling out as he silently padded up behind him.

_So what's the word, Chewie? _Sawyer called, and felt a wicked amusement as Jin yelped and jumped nearly a foot in the air. _Gonna lie here in the bushes for the rest of your life?_

The other wolf whirled to face him, teeth bared in outrage. _Sawyer! _he shot back, scandalized. _Quiet! They'll hear you!_

Sawyer gave a snorting chuckle, and flopped down across from Jin without ceremony. _Nah,_ he replied, pointing his muzzle at the three women, who continued to chat on. _They can't hear us. Guess it's this whole Vulcan mind-meld thing we all've got going._

Jin looked doubtful, but apparently decided to let the matter drop. He lay back down and looked out at the trio again. He raised his muzzle and sniffed the air. _They're happy, _he observed quietly.

Sawyer shrugged. _Guess so._

Jin looked back at him, tilting his head inquisitively. _What are they saying?_

Sawyer hesitated, flattening his ears in puzzlement. Although he could hear their voices with perfect clarity, he had to concentrate to make out the meaning of the words. It was as if English had suddenly become a foreign language, one that he understood but wasn't perfectly fluent in.

Realizing Jin was still waiting for a response, he gave a dismissive shrug. _Ah, just talkin' about clothes and stuff. _His translation was confirmed as Sun picked up a dark red blouse with long ruffled sleeves, holding it out for the others, who simultaneously shook their heads in disapproval. _You know, wimmin talk._

Jin said nothing for a while. He lifted a slender forepaw and rubbed at the side of his face as if something was irritating him. Finally, he said, _So. This is to be my punishment._

Sawyer blinked at the apparent non sequitur. _What's that?_

The other wolf turned dark eyes towards him, ears sagging back against his skull. _For how shamefully I have treated her,_ he explained, his voice steeped in misery. _Now I will never be with her again._

Sawyer jumped to all fours in alarm. _Hey, now. Don't talk like that, _he insisted. _We'll get put right again. You'll see._

Jin lowered his head with a heavy exhalation. Then his gaze wandered towards the ground, and his head jerked up as his eyes widened in shock. _Sawyer!_

What? the other asked irritably, with a low growl.

Jin pointed urgently with his muzzle. _You're standing on an ant hill!_

Sawyer glanced down and yelped as he felt a stinging pain in his paw pad. He jerked away from the hateful biting creatures, paws flailing as he crashed backwards into the bushes and tumbled down the slope to the beach. He rolled to a halt in the hot sand, spitting some of it out of his mouth as he struggled to all fours, angry and disoriented.

He heard a baby crying. He heard women screaming.

And he heard Jin's warning a moment too late, as something extremely hard and heavy whacked him right in the head.

With a loud _YIPE! _of mingled pain and outrage, Sawyer scrambled away from the blow. The glare of the sun blinded him, and he saw only a blurred moving shape as he ducked another strike, evading it by inches. His scrabbling paws flung up a spray of sand as he tried to get his feet under him. Blindly, he stumbled and rolled over before tumbling to a halt. Pain throbbing in his skull, he shook his head and fought to bring the world into focus, squinting against the blinding light.

He saw Claire backed up against the palm tree, clutching her baby in her arms, eyes wide and mouth open in horror. Sun was backing her away from him, arms outstretched protectively in front of the other woman. He could smell waves of fear radiating off them, the scent so thick it was almost tangible. And closest to him, her mouth set in a grim line, Kate stood brandishing a heavy stick of wood like a club, her eyes flashing every indication she planned to use it again.

Incredulity flooded Sawyer's mind. _DAMN, woman!_ Forgetting himself, he opened his mouth to demand _What the hell you think you're DOING?! _But all that came out was a long, rasping snarl that made Claire flinch back with a gasp, and caused Kate to tighten her grip on her weapon and bring it down in a near-lethal arc. Sawyer barely evaded the strike, sand blasting him in the face as the club struck the ground. Blinded again, he whirled around, feet clawing at the sand and fangs bared in impotent fury, the instinct to fight warring with the instinct to flee.

Through a haze of pain and rage, he heard a sharp bark from behind. _Sawyer! _Jin called. _This way! Run!_

Blinking and shaking his head violently, he stumbled backwards towards the sound. Ears flattened and tail curled under his legs, he looked up at at Kate. His hurt, wounded gaze locked on to hers. _It's me, Freckles! _he begged silently. _Come on, girl, you know I'm not gonna hurt you!_

For a moment, Kate's expression faltered, but quickly grew hard again. "Get away!" she yelled, whipping the stick at his face, close enough that he could feel the breeze in his whiskers. "Go on! Get out of here!"

Sawyer gave up. Urging Jin to get the hell out, he turned back towards the jungle, and ran for his life.


	3. Chapter 3

It was several minutes before Jack realized he could no longer read.

The black wolf stared intently at the equipment's logo. He knew what it said, of course; he remembered seeing it before the accident. But the actual markings D-H-A-R-M-A no longer seemed to represent anything in his mind. And there were smaller marks below and to the right of the logo which he was certain had to be letters; but squint and strain as he might, he couldn't resolve them into anything meaningful.

Looking away, he gave a grumbling sigh. It wasn't like he felt he was getting stupider, as such. On the contrary, he felt like he was becoming more focused, more intense...as if everything unnecessary was being pared away, leaving him sharp and hard as the edge of a knife. _But, _he asked himself sarcastically, _if you **were **getting stupider, how would you be smart enough to know it?_

He looked over at Sayid, who was working behind the console. To his credit, Sayid hadn't wasted much time coming to terms with the situation. After staring silently at Jack for a few moments, he'd gotten straight to work, asking questions of Charlie and Hurley which they were, for the most part, unable to answer.

Sayid had been looking over the machinery for some time now, opening panels and poking around inside. His expression and the occasional muttered comment were a pretty clear indication that things weren't going well. And as a wolf, Jack could actually smell the man's anger and frustration; people's moods seemed to be written in the air, as obvious as if they were waving a sign.

But beneath these surface emotions, Jack could detect another, one that Sayid himself might not even have been aware of. It was fear.

This knowledge unsettled him, and made him feel vaguely embarrassed, like he'd been caught reading someone's mail. _He's just afraid he won't be able to fix it, _Jack told himself. _That's how I'd feel. He can't possibly be afraid of **me**..._

But he could smell the same fear coming off Charlie and Hurley--mixed with a heady stew of guilt and self-recrimination, of course. And as he glanced towards Charlie, who was holding the monitor up so that Sayid could adjust the cables attached to it, he caught Charlie quickly looking away from him, and sensed a brief spike of sheer primal terror.

_Guys, it's just me,_ he wanted to tell them. _Come on, it's not like I'm gonna bite you! _But he checked himself, knowing that any vocalizations he could make would only make the situation worse.

With a frustrated sigh, he scratched vigorously at his neck with a hind leg. While the transformation had scattered the rest of his clothing to the winds, the key he kept on the cord around his neck had stayed intact. It sat high up towards his head, and while not painfully tight, was snug enough for him to be constantly aware of its presence. Glumly, Jack realized it probably made him look like he was wearing a collar with an ID tag. He snorted._ Wonder if Kate would find that funny._

Thinking about Kate only made him uncomfortable, so he tried to divert his thoughts elsewhere. He flattened his ears and glared at the logo again, lowering his muzzle to sniff at it. Part of the problem was that his nose kept reminding him of what Sawyer had done on it, and consequently he had to keep fighting down a hideously embarrassing urge to do the exact same thing.

_Don't even THINK about it, _Jack ordered himself, planting his hind legs firmly on the ground. Unable to contain his frustration, he bared his teeth and pawed at the Dharma logo, claws leaving faint scratches in the metal...

Jack realized he was growling at about the same time he realized the other three had stopped working and were staring at him. His paw slid limply down the metal and landed on the ground with a thump. Chagrin radiating off him, he turned away and sat back on his haunches, rubbing at the side of his muzzle with a forepaw to try and hide his embarrassment.

Sayid looked at him for a moment. Then he said something to the other two, and got up and walked around the console towards Jack. Jack tensed slightly at his approach; something about a human walking directly towards him was unsettling.

Sayid crouched down in front of him, so their eyes were level. "Jack," he said carefully, with an undertone of disbelief to his voice, as if he still couldn't believe this was who he was really talking to. "I understand you must be very frustrated." The wolf's ears moved back and forth as he concentrated on understanding the human speech. "But believe me, we're working as hard as we can. And right now..."

Sayid reached out to him, then hesitated, as if uncertain whether this was a wise move. But finally, he placed his hand on the wolf's furry shoulder and firmly stated, "Right now, there is nothing you can do here." He glanced off to one side, as if suggesting a direction. "Do you understand?"

Stung, Jack pinned his ears back and turned his face away. However, he gave a grudging nod of comprehension. "Good," Sayid replied. Climbing to his feet, he assured, "I promise, I'll tell you the moment we need you for anything."

_The moment we need you for anything, _Jack repeated to himself as he sulked off to the other side of the platform, claws clicking on the metal with every step. _Yeah, if anyone needs a hole dug or a stick chased, I'll be right on it..._

As he reached the turf that bordered the clearing, he turned around in a circle and lay down, trying to ignore the palpable sense of relief emanating from the trio beneath the canopy. He sighed heavily and curled up, figuring he might as well try to get some sleep. Anything was better than just hanging around feeling useless.

As he closed his eyes, he felt a flicker of worry as he wondered what was taking Sawyer and Jin so long to get back. He thought about Locke, off on his own in the jungle, and hoped he was all right.

And just before sleep took him, he wondered, if Sayid and the others finally found a way to change him back, if any part of him would still be human enough to care.

****

--

Grumbling and flinching with every other step, Sawyer shoved his way through the jungle. His head throbbed, and the ant bites on his paw were starting to swell and itch. He fought down the instinct to chew at the paw, knowing it wouldn't do any good.

He pushed his way forehead-first through a clutch of dangling vines that had the poor judgment to be in his way. For a moment, Sawyer wondered where Jin had run off to. They'd gone in different directions upon their ignominious retreat from the beach. However, he didn't dwell on it for long, telling himself, _Jimbo's got his problems, I got mine._

The golden wolf clambered over a massive tangle of entwined tree roots, then paused to listen. Lifting his muzzle, he sniffed the air. His senses confirmed he was alone; no one had followed him from the beach. For a moment, he felt relieved, then quickly assured himself he wouldn't have really cared if anyone had.

He stood for a moment, catching his breath. His misadventure had left him hot and thirsty, and the thick, stagnant air made it difficult to breathe. He could detect a definite scent of rain, and the bright sky was slowly darkening; a storm was on its way. Sawyer figured it was probably the miserable weather that was making it harder and harder to think straight, too.

_Great, _he thought sarcastically. Flattening his ears, he gave a self-deprecating snort of laughter. _Definitely woulda been a good day to just stay the hell in bed._

Oblivious to his mood, a bright yellow butterfly floated past his nose. He snapped at it, but it only fluttered heedlessly away.

Grumbling at the way the universe went out of its way to mock him, Sawyer lowered his head and started forward again. He could hear distant voices and the occasional metallic clang through the maze of trees ahead. Apparently Sayid was still working on the machine. Sawyer felt a flicker of hope; maybe he was close to fixing it. His pace quickened, gold-furred paws padding lightly across the jungle's carpet of leaves.

Finally, he could see the familiar clearing through the trees ahead. His nose told him Jack was the only other wolf in the area, and that Charlie and Hurley were still with Sayid.

Instinct made him hesitate before stepping out of the tree cover. Cautiously, he peered through the undergrowth into the clearing. The black wolf was curled up on the other side of the platform, apparently asleep. Glancing to his right, Sawyer saw Charlie aimlessly clearing off the branches and leaves strewn across the equipment, as if this would do any practical good. Hurley was standing off to the left side of the canopy, looking as if he'd like to be doing something useful, but had no opportunities to do so. And Sayid stood with his hands on his hips, staring down at the nonfunctional computer screen. He muttered something that didn't sound very complimentary, then crouched down behind the station and began to work at prying open a large panel.

Sawyer glanced at Jack again. The dark wolf's furry sides rose and fell with each breath as he slept. Sawyer's jaws parted in a canine grin as he had a wicked thought to sneak around to the other side and startle Jack awake. But before he could move in that direction, his attention was diverted as Charlie started to speak.

Scooping up an armload of leaves and twigs, Charlie complained bitterly, "Has anyone else noticed this little mishap has cost us--" He ticked off points on his fingers. "--one, the best hunter we've got. Two, the only person who can catch fish with any kind of consistency..." Hurley seemed about to protest this, but didn't get a chance as Charlie concluded, "...and three, oh, I don't know, the only bloody doctor on this whole bloody island!" He flung down his armful of debris as if taking personal vengeance on it, then wiped his hands on his pant legs and rubbed his sweaty face against his sleeve.

Hurley looked at him. "You forgot Sawyer," he pointed out, with no real enthusiasm.

"Oh. Right." Charlie cleared his throat. "Him too, of course."

"Speaking of whom." Sayid grunted with exertion as he finally forced the panel open, tossing it aside with a clatter. "I hope everyone appreciates the irony," he began dryly, "that I'm actually working to restore him to a state where he can speak again."

There were a few chuckles at this. Sayid went on, leaning into the machinery and fiddling with something unseen, "Of course, perhaps we should take up a vote. I suspect most people on this island would be quite content to leave him voiceless."

Charlie snorted. "Yeah, seriously." Without looking up, Sayid held out a hand palm-up as if expecting something. Hurley looked at the hand for a moment, then jerked slightly in comprehension, grabbed up a screwdriver that had been laying on top of the console, and plopped it into his waiting palm.

As Sayid went back to work, Charlie looked furtive, then gave a slight cough. "Does anyone think..." He hesitated, then went on in a furtive whisper, "Maybe we don't, you know, have to?"

"Have to what?" Sayid asked, his voice hollow from having his head down inside the machinery.

"Have to, well...turn Sawyer back."

"Dude!" Hurley protested. "That's not cool. I mean, come on."

"Right, right." Charlie looked properly abashed. "Sorry."

Hurley looked thoughtful for a moment, then went on, "Besides, you don't really want him a _wolf _either, right? I mean, he'd know it was our fault and..." He swallowed. "You'd wake up in the middle of the night and he'd be standing over you with...you know...dripping fangs and stuff..." He trailed off, evidently contemplating this horror in further exquisite detail.

Charlie, however, pointed out, "Yeah, but at least he couldn't hoard stuff any more."

"Yeah, that's true." Hurley nodded thoughtfully. "Or always be coming up with mean names for...you know..." He hesitated. "...people."

Charlie, warming to the subject, went on, "Or just generally make everyone's life more difficult for no bloody reason..."

"Gentlemen." Sayid sat up from his work, pushed his hair out of his face, and exhaled heavily. "Please. I am sorely tempted already. Don't make this any harder."

"Right." Charlie nodded. "Sorry." He didn't sound particularly apologetic, however. "I mean..." He paused. "After all, there's got to be _some _reason to want him back. Right?" He waited. "Right?" Sayid continued to work, not looking up. Hurley looked like he truly did _want _to say something, but couldn't think of exactly what.

So there was silence between the three of them, broken only by the noise of Sayid's tinkering and the ever-present ambient noise of the jungle. Thunder rolled somewhere in the far distance, as the wind began to pick up, bringing a promise of rain.

Sawyer sat motionless behind the trees, staring at nothing. One ear twitched, then was still.

Then he rose to his feet, turned, and began to walk away.

Then he began to run.

****

--

A distant peal of thunder rolled lazily through the air as a breeze set the leaves and branches to dancing. At the sound, the black wolf stirred from his doze, raising his head to sniff the air. For a moment, he couldn't remember where he was, or how he had come to be there.

Without turning around, he could tell that three humans were behind him. Half-understood fragments of conversation came to him; phrases like "severely complicates matters" and "essential connection severed" answered by things like "oh bugger" and "that was broken when we found it, honestly".

For a moment, he wondered what they were working on. Then he blinked as the memory came back to him. _Oh. Right._

Jack glanced up at the sky. It had grown darker while he slept; soon it would be night. Iron-gray clouds hung low overhead, and the air crackled with an electric charge. The storm was still biding its time, but wouldn't hold off for long.

Then his muzzle wrinkled as he detected a familiar scent from the other side of the clearing. _Sawyer?_

But no...even from this distance, he could tell the scent was recent, but fading. Sawyer had been there, but wasn't any more. And from what Jack could tell, he hadn't been in a good mood when he'd left.

_Why'd he do that? _Jack wondered, rather muzzily. He rose to all fours and shook himself from head to tail-tip, then yawned widely and dropped into a back-curving stretch. _Locke's gone, _he thought irritably, _Jin's gone, Sawyer's gone. _For some reason, their absence caused him to feel a deep sense of shame and personal failure. He didn't understand these feelings, but then again, not a lot had happened today that he'd completely understood.

He was about to cross to where the other wolf had been and investigate the matter further. However, he was distracted as Hurley, who'd been trying to prop up one of the tilting canopy poles, suddenly dropped it with a loud clatter.

"Ow!" Hurley put his finger to his mouth, then looked down at it and frowned. "That hurt."

Cocking his head to one side, Jack made an inquisitive noise and padded over to him. He couldn't help but sense that Hurley grew nervous at his approach. But Hurley only assured him, "It's OK, I just pinched it. See?"

He held his hand down towards the wolf, who gave it a perfunctory sniff and sat down heavily with a grunt. Jack lifted a hindleg and scratched at the annoying key-cord around his neck.

Hurley looked sympathetic, then appeared to have an idea. "Hey, you hungry?" Jack looked up without much interest. "'Cause I've got some stuff in my pack..." He sat down with a thump and rooted around in the backpack's interior, muttering to himself. "No, you probably wouldn't like that...no...no...aha!" With an air of great triumph, he withdrew something that looked like a shriveled strip of shoe leather. "Official Dharma brand beef jerky," he declared. "Probably guaranteed to survive World War III." He held it out to Jack.

Jack sighed inwardly, but didn't have the heart to disappoint him. He reached out and took the jerky in his mouth, then lay down and clasped it between his forepaws, tearing at it with his front teeth. It felt like trying to chew through someone's belt, and didn't taste much better. However, Hurley seemed quite pleased with himself. "Right on! I knew you'd like it."

Hurley sat back and helped himself to an Apollo chocolate bar. Looking apologetic, he gestured towards it and said, "I'd share, but, y'know, dogs, chocolate, probably not a good idea." Jack tilted his head to gnaw at the jerky with his back teeth, then swallowed and gave him a look. "Uh, not that I'm calling you a dog or anything, um..." He trailed off. "I think I'll shut up now."

The black wolf made a snuffling noise as he continued to chew at the leathery strip. Hurley gave a hesitant smile. "Hey, was that a laugh? That was a laugh, wasn't it." Jack had to think for a moment of how to indicate 'yes', then bobbed his head up and down. "All right, cool. Seriously, dude? You really should try and laugh more. I mean when you're, y'know, human." He had the good grace to wince at what he'd just said.

Finally, Jack managed to choke down the last of the jerky, fervently hoping Hurley wasn't going to try to feed him a dog biscuit next. But the other seemed engrossed in his chocolate bar, and was looking off into the distance with a thoughtful expression.

"Don't worry," he said finally, wiping a bit of chocolate from the corner of his mouth. "Sayid'll fix this, and we can all get back to doing normal stuff. You know," he gestured broadly and went on in a sarcastic tone, "pushing the button of doom every hundred-and-eight minutes, running away from invisible monsters, getting randomly beat up and killed by the Others..."

The wolf's head jerked up. A white-hot streak of rage burned its way through his mind.

_The Others!_

Hurley froze with the chocolate bar halfway to his mouth at the sound of a long, low growl.

Like a row of falling dominoes, thought crashed after thought in Jack's mind. Walt. Michael. The kids from the tail section Ana Lucia couldn't save. Memories flashed in sequence, stoking his fury. Charlie hanging from a tree. Ethan looming over him in the driving rain. A bearded man half-hidden in the shadows, mocking Jack's helplessness, drawing a line in the jungle...

...but no more. He could find them now. He could hunt them down. He had senses he'd never had before, he had strength and endurance and power.

He could find them.

He could stop them.

For the wolf, thought equaled action, and he leaped to his feet with a vicious snarl that made Hurley scramble away. "Whoa, whoa! What'd I say?" Ignoring him, Jack whirled around and lunged into a gallop towards the edge of the clearing. The shouts from behind meant nothing to him; no words could penetrate the blood-red fog of hate filling his skull. But then a new voice made him skid to a stiff-legged halt, paws flinging up leafy debris. He darted a glance over his shoulder.

He saw Kate at the edge of the darkening jungle. She stood staring at him with shock and horror and something like awe. A few drops of rain began to fall, the pattering sound loud in the heavy silence. For a moment, he hesitated, staring back at her.

Then the wolf dismissed the sight from his mind, turned, and ran.

****

--

"What did you say to him?" Sayid shouted at the cowering Hurley. The rain had begun to fall in earnest, plastering Sayid's hair against his forehead as he demanded, _"What did you say to him?"_

"Nothing! Nothing, all right?!" Hurley babbled, raising his hands as if to ward off an attack. "I was just talking about stuff and then he growled at me and took off!"

Ignoring Kate, who was looking from one of them to the other with her mouth open as if she really wanted to say something, Sayid ranted, "Do you realize we may never find him again?"

Kate started to speak, but was prevented by Charlie. "But he'll come back, won't he?" His expression pained, he ran a hand through his wet hair, pushing it back from his face. "I mean, why wouldn't he?"

"Charlie, he may not _want _to come back! We have no idea what's going on in his mind! And now we have four of them to track down instead of three!" Sayid looked exasperated, but before Kate could break in, he went on, "Don't you understand? We need all of them for this to work!"

Kate began, "What are you--?"

Hurley overrode her. "How come? If you fixed it, can't we just, y'know, turn 'em back one at a time?"

"Turn _what _back?" Kate demanded, wiping rain off her face with her sleeve.

"No, we can't!" Sayid answered Hurley, shaking his head. "The connection that controls the parameter settings is beyond repair." Kate was the only one who noticed Charlie's guilty wince. "The device is set for four individuals." He held up four fingers to emphasize his point. "I cannot change this. And damaged as this equipment is, there's virtually no chance it will work more than once."

"So, ah..." Charlie's voice was very small. "You're saying either they all come back...or none of them come back?"

Sayid turned a near-lethal glare in his direction. "That, Charlie," he said, "is precisely what I'm saying."

Finally, Kate could stand no more. "HEY!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. Everyone looked towards her with surprise, as if they'd forgotten she was there. Slowly and dangerously, she demanded, "What...is...going..._on_?!"

The sound of the driving rain was her only answer. Kate looked from one to the other, and her expression faltered at their silent stares. "What's going on?" she asked again, almost in a whisper.

Sayid exhaled slowly. "Kate," he began, gesturing towards the canopy, "I think you need to sit down."

****

--

The gold-furred wolf was a flicker of light in the darkening jungle. His paws splashed through the puddles forming at his feet as the rain cascaded down. He slowed to a walk as the ground sloped steeply in front of him, placing his feet carefully as he made his way down the rain-slicked incline. Reaching the bottom of the narrow ravine, he paused, looking left and right, ears rotating as he listened. Hearing nothing but the sound of the rain in the leaves, he shook himself vigorously, sending a spray of water in all directions, then moved on.

Sawyer had no idea where he was going, and didn't really care. A sort of dull apathy had settled into his mind, and he had no thought beyond the instinct to keep moving.

However, the rain was cold, and he wasn't enjoying getting wet. He stopped again and shivered, deciding to seek some kind of shelter. Casting his gaze around, he saw nothing but towering trees surrounding him, their dark trunks glistening with rain. High above, gently swaying branches were briefly etched in stark blackness against a flash of lightning.

The wolf flinched at the crack of thunder, then spotted a fallen log not far away. It lay between a pair of thick trees, overgrown with bushes and clinging vines. It appeared to be hollow, and big enough for him to fit inside.

Sawyer dipped his head and padded over to it, paws splashing across the muddy ground. Poking his nose into the dark space, he sniffed at it carefully. He smelled nothing but the musty odor of decaying vegetation and a couple of bird droppings. Satisfied that it was safe to enter, he stepped inside, head ducked low. Then he turned around in a circle, his wet sides brushing against the crumbling wood, and pawed at the leaf-covered floor to gather together some semblance of a bed. He flopped down with a thud, then yawned and stretched out, resting his head on his forepaws.

For a while, Sawyer lay quietly, gazing out at the rain. Then he gave a heavy exhalation that sounded very much like a sigh.

He knew the human part of his mind was fading. It was getting hard to think in words, or to remember anything beyond the recent past. This didn't bother him as much as he would've thought. There wasn't much about his life that he wanted to remember.

His head twinged with pain as he shifted position. _Kate, _he thought, the memory more an image and scent than an actual word. He had a vague memory of a sudden, unexpected pain, and a flare of anger. But then the feelings drained away, and he was left with a dull, aching sorrow, and a deep sense of rejection that he couldn't explain. He was alone, and instinct told him being alone was shameful, that he was an outcast even from his own kind.

The golden wolf sighed again, and gave something like a shrug. He couldn't bring himself to rejoin the pack, and the idea of living among humans was unthinkable. So from now on, he was on his own.

It was quite dark now, though his lupine vision easily adjusted to the dim light. The driving hiss of the rain slowly faded to a soft murmur, then died away to random drips and drops as tree frogs and insects began their nocturnal chorus. The wolf dozed, breathing in and out, his nose keeping him informed of all that went on around him. Most of what he smelled was just mud, waterlogged plants, and the occasional wet bird. But there was a faint trace of another scent, something strangely familiar...

The wolf's head jerked up, his black lips curling up in a snarl. There was a sound now, growing nearer. He heard the crunching of something heavy pushing its way through the jungle, accompanied by a low, snuffling grunts. The smell grew stronger, closer, seeming to fill the entire world. It was hot and rank, a smell of dirt and hair and filth, saturating his mind, maddening him.

It was a boar.

Moving soundlessly, the wolf crept to the opening of the hollow log. He peered through the dangling vines that obscured the entrance as the other animal came into view, shoving its way free of the bushes that lined the roots of the trees.

It was big, much bigger than any boar he'd seen on the island. His instincts told him it was an old creature, most likely the patriarch of its herd. But it was still healthy and strong, muscles visibly shifting beneath the matted pelt of gray-brown hair. It trotted forward a few steps, then stopped. Pinprick eyes glinted beneath a thick, dangling forelock. The boar's dripping snout quivered as it snuffled the ground, huffing and grunting as it stirred up the muddy earth with a forehoof.

_Boar._ The wolf's muscles tensed, drawing him up into a crouch, ready to spring. Some distant rational part of his mind wondered what the hell he was doing. The boar had nothing to do with him. He should just ignore it, let it go by.

But some less rational part of him hated the creature...hated its smell, hated its sound, hated its very presence. A dim memory flickered in his mind...something about revenge, and guilt, and hate...and a deep, black certainty that what he truly hated was himself...

A low growl emerged from his throat. The boar jerked its head up with a grunt, piggy eyes blinking as its snout wiggled up and down, sniffing the air. It tossed its heavy head and stamped the ground with an angry squeal. The wolf growled again and emerged from his hiding place, head lowered and teeth bared as he stalked a slow circle around his prey.

The boar stood its ground, its reeking breath steaming in the damp air. The wolf stood facing it, head down, muscles tensed, ready to spring.

Part of him didn't want to do this. The boar was big and tough, with long, sharp tusks and a strong instinct to survive. Not only was it possible that he might not be able to kill it, he might not even escape with his life.

And at this thought, the dark place deep inside him replied: _Good._

He bared his fangs, snarled out a challenge, and charged.

****

--

Kate slowly sat down on a fallen log, her expression blank.

Sayid's shoulders heaved in a sigh. "I'm sorry. I know this is quite a shock."

Kate looked up at him. "So that..." She tilted her head to indicate the edge of the jungle where the black wolf had vanished. "That was really...Jack?"

Sayid nodded, his expression grim. "Unfortunately, yes."

"So the one on the beach was..." Her voice trailed off.

"From your description, most likely Sawyer."

She moaned and buried her face in her hands. "Oh God." She rubbed her face, then looked back up at Sayid. "I hit him in the head," she admitted.

Charlie perked up at this. "Did you?" She glowered at him, and he forced his expression into something more properly somber. "I mean...that's terrible."

For a moment, Kate rested her chin on her hands, staring off into space. "When I chased him off," she confessed, "he looked at me, and for a moment, I saw..." She swallowed. "In his eyes, there was this hurt, and..._betrayal_...but I couldn't believe that..." She trailed off again, then looked up at Sayid. "So how do we bring them back?"

"First," Sayid said firmly, "we need to find them." He looked up and around; the storm had subsided, but the surrounding jungle remained black as ink. "Can you track them in this?"

She stood up, her expression determined. "I can try."

"Good." He nodded. "I'll prepare some torches." Looking towards Charlie and Hurley, he went on, "You stay here. If any of them come back, do _not _let them leave again." His voice was steely. "Understood?"

Hurley nodded vigorously as Charlie assured, "Right, right. No worries. We're on it."

Kate stared off into the jungle, her expression unreadable. Charlie opened his mouth as if to say something to cheer her up, then seemed to realize that anything he could say would most likely be putting his life at risk, and closed his mouth again.

When Sayid approached with two burning torches, she accepted one without comment. Sayid leaned in towards her, and lowered his voice. "You must know," he said, "that when we find them..._if _we find them..." He hesitated, then finished quietly, "There may be nothing left of the men we knew."

Kate's mouth set in a grim line. "I'll take that chance." Without another word, she turned and strode into the jungle. Sayid followed close behind, and Hurley and Charlie were left alone with the Dharma station, looking at each other without much to say. A sound of distant thunder rolled in, then faded away.

Hurley sagged in a posture of utter misery. "Dude," he said morosely, "this is all gonna end up red and bloody, I just know it."

****

--

Sawyer landed hard, ribs twinging in pain as he slammed into the ground. He rolled over and scrambled to all fours, barely evading another strike. Tongue lolling out as he panted for breath, he stumbled backwards, and growled low in his throat.

The two adversaries faced each other. The boar tossed its head and squealed in defiance, its tusks stained with blood. The wolf's golden fur was streaked with red along his left side, the thick fur spiky with mud and blood. The boar was wounded, too, bloody droplets seeping through the matted hairy mane on its neck. They circled each other warily, both knowing this respite wouldn't last long.

The wolf's legs quivered with weariness, and his sides stabbed with pain every time he took a breath. This fight was a standoff at best. He'd tried again and again to land a killing bite, but the old boar was quick and wily, and its tough leathery hide had protected him against the wolf's fangs. Another gouge of its tusks might smash in his ribs, or rip open his belly.

His instincts told him he couldn't bring this prey down alone. Not if he wanted to live.

The wolf wanted to live.

He sat back on his haunches, threw back his head, and howled.

****

--

The black wolf pushed his way through the undergrowth, branches snagging at his rain-soaked fur. Undeterred by the darkness of the jungle night, Jack made his way resolutely onward. His head was lowered, nose almost touching the ground, sniffing for any kind of sign. He had only one impulse now: _Find them. Find the Others. Find them._

A distant voice in the back of Jack's mind was shouting that he had no chance of finding anyone, he didn't even know what he was looking for. But he was finding this voice easier and easier to ignore.

He smelled the traces of birds, animals, insects. _Find them. _A distant roll of thunder surged, then died away. _Find the Others. _A gust of wind rattled the branches, shaking a spray of droplets free of the leaves. _Find them._

He cast his head this way and that, eyes slitted in concentration, nose straining for any hint of scent. _Find them. _He didn't care if he had to search all night, or all the next day, or for days on end. Nothing would stop him. _Find th-_

His head snapped up at the sound of the howl.

Ears pressed forward, he locked onto the direction of the sound. The howl triggered an instinct beyond conscious thought: a pack member was in danger. Without hesitation, he whirled in that direction, and began to run.

The wolf ran, paws flying over the sodden ground as he wove between rain-glistening trees. Muscles bunched and lengthened under his pelt as he leaped over a fallen log that lay across his path. He touched down with a splash in a shallow, muddy puddle, not even slowing down as he gathered his legs under him and surged forward.

He ran with head high, eyes fixed straight ahead, tail streaming behind like a banner. Hot breath rushed in and out his lungs as his paws beat a thudding rhythm against the earth. He ran, whiplike branches lashing him in the face, trees blurring past him in the darkness. The wolf ran knowing what he was, what he was meant to do, beyond any doubt or question.

There was no thought, no hesitation, no fear. There was only the run...and the hunt.

He charged at breakneck speed down the slope of the narrow ravine, landing in the trodden mud where the golden wolf faced the boar. The black wolf didn't even break stride at the sight. He leaped at the boar with a snarl, body lengthening as he soared through the air. Startled, the boar recoiled from the attack, but not fast enough. The wolf's fangs tore into the thick, matted hide, ripping lines of blood down the boar's shoulder.

It squealed in rage and spun around, bringing up its tusks, trying to gouge its attacker under the belly. But the golden wolf was already there, snapping at the boar's flanks as it spun. Maddened with pain, the boar whirled like a dervish, tossing its head and stamping its hooves. The wolves drew back, one on each side, circling at a cautious distance, eyes fixed on the prey.

The black wolf's ears moved as he heard the approach of the rest of the pack, drawn by the summoning howl. A slender wolf with a striking black-and-gold pelt came into view, moving at an easy trot. Finally, from the other side, a gray wolf padded in silently, head lowered, staring down the boar with pale blue eyes.

The pack circled slowly, keeping its distance, biding its time. The boar seemed uncertain, and jerked its heavy head back and forth as if it couldn't tell which way to look. It grunted once, then lowered its head and charged at the nearest enemy. But the black-and-gold wolf danced effortlessly out of the way, and the gray lunged in to snap at the boar's unprotected sides, drawing blood. It squealed and whirled around to defend itself, only to scramble away as the other wolves drew in again.

The boar spun in lunatic circles, churning the mud into a bubbling froth, tusks ripping through the air. Any way it turned it faced an attacker; any move it made to defend itself was evaded and met with an attack from another side. The boar's sides were visibly heaving as its legs began to quiver with weariness.

Heavy breaths steaming in the air, the boar finally slowed its mad circling. Blood dripping from its wounds, it stopped, lowering its head until its snout almost touched the earth. It was exhausted, spent. The wolves watched in impassive silence, eyes glinting in the dim light. Finally, the pack leader lowered his head and took a step forward, moving in for the kill...

Suddenly, the wolves whirled in unison at a rapid sound of approaching footsteps, crunching through the foliage along the top of the ravine. The boar took advantage of this distraction to whirl around and run for its life, vanishing into the underbrush. The pack leader could smell smoke, and see a glowing orange light moving through the trees. There was a human voice now, a female, shouting, and a deeper male voice from behind. Then the nearest figure slipped, and gave a high-pitched yell of alarm...

A human came tumbling down the ravine and crashed to the ground right in front of the black wolf.

He reacted the only way he knew how.

****

--

Kate landed hard, face-down in the thick mud, knocking the breath out of her lungs. Spitting mud, she raised her head with a groan...

...and looked straight into blood-drenched fangs, inches from her face.

Instinct froze her in place, not even daring to breathe. She heard a deep, dangerous growl, felt hot breath against her face.

She swallowed, hard.

For a moment, neither human nor wolf moved a muscle. Then, Kate's eyes flickered downwards as something glinted in the darkness. It was a silver key, half-hidden in thick black fur.

Kate tried to speak, but her throat was too parched for words. She swallowed again. Finally, she managed to whisper, "J-Jack?" Her gaze moved upwards as she dared to look him in the face.

The wolf stared back. There was no recognition in those eyes.

"Jack," she pleaded softly, as her eyes began to sting with tears. "It's me. It's Kate." There was no sign that her words held any meaning. She heard growls from around her, and knew she was surrounded by predators who considered her a threat, and had no good reason to let her walk away alive...

****

--

Sayid had watched in horror as Kate lost her balance and fell down the ravine, landing in the center of the pack of wolves. She'd lost her torch in the fall, and now lay surrounded and helpless, with nothing to defend herself.

Moving without thinking, Sayid drew his gun.

He held it out before him, then hesitated, staring down the slope at the scene before him. Torn with indecision, he watched as the black wolf--_Jack,_ he reminded himself forcefully--stared at Kate with fur bristling and fangs bared.

If he didn't shoot, Kate could die. But if he did shoot, he would cost his fellow survivors their doctor, their leader, and a man he'd come to think of as a friend.

But if nothing human remained in the creatures before him, Jack was lost to them anyway...

Sayid's face reflected the struggle within him. If he killed their leader, the wolf pack would scatter. But then what? Hunt the rest of them down, one by one? Should he let them live out their lives in the jungle, or would it be kinder to grant them a quick death?

All the wolves were growling now, leaning in towards Kate. Sayid could no longer afford to hesitate. He could kill one friend, or let another die before his eyes, knowing he could have saved her.

His eyes grew hard, and he took aim.

****

--

Unaware of what was going on above the ravine, Kate tried to prop herself up, her arms trembling with the effort. She moved with exaggerated caution, knowing that any sudden motions would likely mean her death. The wolves still stared and growled apprehensively, but made no further move to attack. They seemed to be wondering what to do with her.

Her eyes darted sideways. The torch lay on its side just out of reach, still burning. If she could reach it, she could defend herself, hold them off. But if she drove them away, she might never find them again...only the sound of the howl had led her here in the first place.

But if she angered them any further, they would tear her apart...

Suddenly, a cold nose and whiskery muzzle touched her right arm. Kate couldn't hold back a shriek as she jerked away. The gold-furred wolf recoiled at her motion, bristling and growling. The other three jumped back, then moved forward again, heads lowered and ears pinned back. Clearly they weren't pleased by her sudden movement.

Kate forced herself to remain still, trying to slow her pounding heart, knowing that the wolves could sense her growing panic. She took a deep breath, then quietly said, "Sawyer?"

The golden wolf stared at her. His muzzle wrinkled, showing his front teeth. Kate swallowed again, pleading softly, "Sawyer, come on, you remember me, right?"

The wolf put his head slightly to one side, looking puzzled. His ears moved back and forth as his eyes narrowed almost to slits. He shook his head back and forth as if trying to throw something off, then growled again. Belatedly, Kate realized that Sawyer's most recent memory of her wouldn't be a good one. "I'm sorry," she whispered, not knowing what good it would do. "I'm so sorry I hurt y--"

Suddenly, the golden wolf's eyes shot open, and he jumped back with a surprised-sounding grunt. The other wolves turned towards him, and the black wolf swished his tail once with a low growl. Sawyer's gaze stayed locked on Kate's, and his tense pose began to slacken. Ears sagging to either side, he made a noise like a growl mingled with a whine, sounding almost like a question.

Kate didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Yes!" she almost sobbed. "Sawyer, it's me, you remember..." Without thinking, she reached out to him. Then she jerked back with a gasp as the black wolf snapped at her, coming within inches of taking off her hand.

Sawyer turned to face the black wolf, and stared at him for a moment. Then, seeming to come to a decision, he forced himself between him and her. He locked eyes with the other wolf, and gave a long, challenging growl.

The other wolf seemed incredulous at this defiance. The fur along his neck rose and his tail lifted high as he snarled back. But Sawyer didn't back down. He growled again, but this time it sounded insistent, like an urgent plea. He looked back at Kate, and she saw _Sawyer_ in those eyes, so clearly it seemed unbelievable she'd ever failed to recognize him. He looked around at the other wolves, growling insistently, the stuttered sounds almost resembling human speech.

Slowly, comprehension seemed to dawn. The gray wolf on her left began to back away. He blinked several times, then sat down and lowered his eyes, exhaling slowly. "John?" Kate asked. "Do you remember me?" He gave a grunt of comprehension as his eyes flickered briefly towards her, but he wouldn't hold her gaze.

On her right, the gold-and-black wolf came closer, looking dismayed, almost apologetic. "Jin," Kate said, reaching out to place her hand against his thick ruff. "It's all right." His ears drooped sideways, and he gave a soft whine and lowered his head in a sort of bow.

Finally, she looked towards the black wolf. He stared back with fierce, unblinking eyes. "Jack," she whispered. She glanced down at the key that still hung around his neck, the one thing connecting this creature with the man she remembered. "Jack, I know you're still in there." She looked back into his eyes, begging, "Please remember. Please...come back."

Slowly, the wolf's angry expression began to falter. His hazel-green eyes blinked once, then again. Spiky black fur settled back against his neck as his tail lowered. Slowly, he sat down. He shuddered all over as his ears sagged, and a small whine came from his throat.

Kate shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. "Jack," she said, very quietly. It wasn't a question.

He looked away sharply, refusing to meet her gaze. She opened her mouth to speak again. Then, without warning, the black wolf flung back his head and howled, a deafening cry of anguish and remorse that echoed off into the distance, then slowly died away.

Heart pounding with shock, Kate remained motionless for several long moments. There was no sound but the steady drip of the damp leaves, and the roar of her pulse, loud in her ears. Finally, her voice quivering, she tried to assure him, "Jack, it's OK. It's all right."

He lowered his head almost to the ground and squeezed his eyes shut, refusing to look at her. "It's all right," Kate soothed again, her arm shaking slightly as she reached out to him. He didn't pull away, and she patted his neck, running her fingers through the velvety fur of his ruff. "Don't worry. It'll be OK."

There was a soft exhalation from her right. Still touching Jack, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Sawyer staring at her, his bright blue eyes fixed on her hand.

The expression on his face could have meant anything.

****

--

Slowly, Sayid lowered his gun.

He holstered his weapon, and, with a deep sigh of relief, began to descend the slope.

****

--

_Kate..._

Jack shivered as memory poured back into his mind. He struggled to think past the fog of the past hour. He remembered running, and the fight with the boar, and Kate crashing through the trees and falling...

And he knew, for that span of time, there had been nothing human about him.

He squeezed his eyes shut against the memory. Guilt and terror of what might have happened twisted in his gut. _I almost... _His eyes snapped open again, and he stared at the woman climbing unsteadily to her feet in front of him. _Kate...I didn't know who she was, I could have... _He shut his mind against the thought, refusing to imagine what he might have done.

He heard footsteps now, and looked up to see Sayid carefully approaching them, holding a torch in one hand. His expression was grim, and his posture was tense and wary. Obviously he didn't entirely trust them. Jack couldn't blame him.

Jack looked over at Sawyer. The golden wolf had turned away, nearly bent in two as he licked at the blood-matted fur on his side where the boar had wounded him. Jack felt a flicker of concern. _You all right?_ he asked, forcing himself to think in human words.

_Fine, _Sawyer replied shortly, not turning to look at him.

But Jack could sense that the other was as shaken up as he was, maybe even more so. Jack tried again: _Sawyer, are you..._

Sawyer whirled to face him. _I'm FINE! _he snarled, teeth bared and eyes slitted. He paused, seeming to realize how incongruous his response was. Then he sighed, and finally made eye contact with Jack. _Just... _He paused, seeming to be struggling for words. _Let's not...do that again, OK?_

Jack shuddered. _Yeah. _He turned to look at Jin, who gave an acknowledging nod. Jack nodded in reply, then turned towards Locke. The gray wolf's head hung low, and he would only turn the briefest of glances towards him before looking away again. Locke remained silent, keeping his thoughts to himself.

Jack looked up at Kate and Sayid, who had moved away from the pack and were conversing in low voices. He could sense their concern, and the lingering fear of the recent encounter. But he had to struggle to make out the meaning of their words, and to remember who they were and how he knew them. Jack knew, without a doubt, that he'd only regained a temporary measure of humanity. If it slipped away, if he lost himself to the wolf again, he would never come back.

But he could barely remember what it felt like to be human...

He lowered his head and stared at the ground. He saw blood swirling in the muddy puddles, smelled it in his nostrils, tasted it in his mouth. The intensity of his senses was far more powerful than mere reason, and had a siren call that was hard to ignore. The run, the hunt, the pack..._these _things were real. Everything else was distant, abstract.

Blood in his mouth, under his tongue. Blood that might have been human...

Finally, the black wolf raised his head, and looked around at his pack. They watched him, waiting for his decision.

_We're going back, _he said.

No one argued.


	4. Chapter 4

The sky had barely begun to lighten with dawn. Kate led the way back through the jungle, her torch beginning to burn low. Sayid walked behind her, occasionally glancing back at the strange procession that followed him. Jack padded along at the head of the pack, followed by Sawyer, who'd fallen in behind him without comment or argument. Jin came third, and Locke followed some distance behind, head and tail low.

The wolves filed into the clearing behind Sayid and Kate. Charlie and Hurley, looking like they'd spent an uncomfortable night under the dubious shelter of the canopy, stood up and watched them in silence.

Sayid nodded once. "We're ready."

He moved behind the Dharma station, and Kate stood off to one side, wrapping her arms around herself with a worried expression. The wolves sat down on the platform, keeping some distance from each other. Hurley watched as Sayid flipped several switches. Then Hurley observed in a low voice, "Guess it'd be kinda stupid to ask if you're sure this'll work, huh."

Sayid looked at him. "Right," Hurley said, moving slightly away. "No worries."

Charlie looked at the wolves with some concern. "Guys, has it occurred to anyone that they kind of lost their clothes when they went..." He paused. "You know, wolfy?"

"Yes?" Sayid asked, not looking up from his work.

"So, if--uh--_when_ they get turned back, they're kind of going to be, um, y'know, in the nuddy?"

The four wolves looked at one another, then surreptitiously moved further apart. Kate gave a slightly choked noise and hid her face behind her hand, looking as if she was trying to suppress a grin. Everyone looked at her. "I'll just..." She coughed slightly, then went on, "I'll just head back towards camp." With a last glance at the wolves, she said, "Good luck," then turned and walked out of sight.

The Dharma computer beeped, the sound loud in the quiet of the jungle dawn. A series of green zeros followed by a four appeared on the computer screen. "Dude," Hurley breathed quietly, squinting his eyes shut and crossing his fingers. "Please let this work."

Seated in the center of the pack on the metal platform, Jack looked around him. He felt as if he ought to remember this moment, and his experiences, out of scientific curiosity if nothing else. Of course, he reminded himself wryly, if this didn't work, that wouldn't really be a problem.

_So, _Jack heard Sawyer's voice say, as the golden wolf shifted position nervously, ears twitching back and forth. _This is it then, huh?_

Jack shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. _Guess so._

_Yeah. _Sawyer turned his gaze back to the Dharma station, and shivered slightly. _DAMN, this better work._

From behind the bank of equipment, Sayid looked up to face them. "Countdown commencing," he announced. "Five."

Jack took a deep breath, then looked over at Jin, who returned his gaze. Jack nodded towards him, and said, _Well. It's been good...talking with you, Jin._

Jin nodded graciously in reply. _Thank you. _He paused, then gave the barest suggestion of a smile. _We will again, someday._

"Four."

Jack glanced over at Locke, sitting a few feet apart from the rest of them. But Locke turned away in silence, and wouldn't meet his gaze.

"Three."

Finally, Sawyer looked back at him. _Hey...Jack, _Sawyer grudgingly began. _Just in case we don't, y'know, make it through this...there's somethin' you oughtta know._

"Two."

_Oh yeah? _Jack put his head slightly to one side. _What's that?_

"One."

Sawyer paused.

_You're an asshole._

"Now!"

And then, there was nothing left to say.

****

--

"Have you seen Jin?"

Sun tried to tell herself not to worry, even though the answer was no, as it had been with every person she'd asked. She wandered away from the camp, heading towards her garden, hoping against reason that she'd find him there.

No one seemed able to find Jack, either, or Kate, or several others. They were probably all together somewhere, Sun told herself, crouching down to aimlessly scoop some dirt around a wilting seedling. Most likely Jin and some of the others had made camp somewhere during the night, and were headed back towards the beach even now. Her expression grew tight and pained. Perhaps if she kept telling herself that, she would actually come to believe it.

Suddenly, her head shot up at a sound of footsteps crashing through the jungle, approaching fast. Sun scrambled to her feet with a gasp of shock. Someone was running, coming straight towards her.

Jin burst out of the jungle and stumbled to a halt, bent nearly double with exhaustion. His chest heaved with each breath as he turned to face her, placing his hand against a tree to hold himself upright. Too breathless to speak, he tried to smile at her, his face dripping with sweat.

As were his shoulders.

And his chest.

And his legs.

And...

Sun's mouth opened and closed in shock. She wanted to ask him a million things at once, such as "What happened to your clothes?" and "Where have you been?" and "Do you know how worried I was?" and "What _happened _to your _clothes_?!" But she found herself unable to say a word as Jin grinned fiercely, made a sound that was very much like a growl, and ran towards her, grabbing her up and sweeping her off her feet.

Sun laughed and tried to protest, but was prevented from doing so as Jin pressed his mouth against hers. And Sun prudently decided that all things considered...her questions could wait for a while.

****

--

Sayid coughed deeply as a choking stink of dirt and electrical smoke filled his lungs. He lay flat on his back with a blurry green-and-brown mesh pressed against his face, and something heavy and metallic holding down his right leg.

He kicked out and struggled to tear the canopy mesh off, but his struggles only got him progressively more entangled. Apparently the whole station had collapsed on top of him when the device had gone off. And judging by the thrashings and muffled curses that surrounded him, Charlie and Hurley were stuck underneath it, too.

Sayid opened his mouth to try and order the two of them to stop their strugglings, that they were only making things worse. But before he could speak, a distressingly familiar voice drawled, "Well, well. Looks like Mr. Fix-it could use a hand there himself."

He felt a strong hand grip his forearm and haul him unceremoniously to his feet. Regaining his balance, Sayid coughed again, and pulled the mesh off his head. He grimaced slightly as he found himself face-to-face with an angelically grinning Sawyer, who seemed completely unperturbed by being utterly stark naked.

Sayid gave a long-suffering sigh. "Good morning, Sawyer." Wearily, he rubbed at his eyes. "Clearly _you're _back to normal." He paused. "Or what passes for normal with you, at any rate."

Sawyer's grin grew even wider as his eyes crinkled with mirth. "Damn straight." Then his smile grew slightly less friendly. "'Course, if this don't take, you'll be the _first _one to know about it, trust me."

Sayid responded to the halfhearted threat with nothing more than a calm smile. It didn't surprise him that Sawyer was handling the situation with bluster and bravado. If he'd indicated any lingering trauma over what he'd been through, or expressed any honest emotion at all, Sayid would have been genuinely worried.

Sawyer glanced downwards. "Won't be needin' that, will you?" Without waiting for an answer, he crouched down and grabbed up a large section of the destroyed canopy, wrapping the mesh around himself in an impromptu kilt.

"Very nice," Sayid observed, deadpan. There was a crashing noise and a muffled curse from the wreckage behind him. "I'm sure all the ladies at camp will be coming to you for fashion advice."

Sawyer finished tying the knot around his waist, and turned an arch look to Sayid. "Now, now," he chided, wagging an admonishing finger. "Can't have you boys droppin' dead from sheer jealousy."

Sayid looked around. Gouts of smoke were pouring from beneath the platform, and the rest of the Dharma equipment was either in pieces, on fire, or utterly inert. "Where are the rest of them?" Sayid asked with some concern, as Charlie and Hurley finally managed to drag themselves free of the wreckage, coughing and sputtering. "Jack and the others..."

Sawyer shrugged. "Chromedome grabbed his backpack and went thataway," he said, pointing towards the recently-demolished station. "Chewie took off like a bat outta hell, and Jacko..." He shrugged again. "Guess he wandered off. Ain't seen him." He looked around at the surrounding jungle, and his expression became pensive, as if he'd been hoping to see someone else, someone who didn't seem to be there. Then his face grew hard, and Sayid turned to see Charlie and Hurley approaching with obvious trepidation.

"Er," Charlie began. He coughed once, ran a hand through his spiky, dirt-coated hair, shifted position uncomfortably, and finally asked, "Hey, mate, you all right, then?"

Sawyer snorted. "Should be, Calvin." He aimed a glare at him and Hurley. "Long as you and Hobbes can quit playin' with the damn transmogrifier from now on."

"Um..." Hurley blinked and rubbed his eyes, and gave a guilty wince as Sawyer began to turn as if to leave. "Would it help if we said we're sorry?"

Sawyer paused, and glanced back over his shoulder with a cool, impassive look.

"Yeah," Charlie added, nodding urgently. "We're really, _really_..."

Suddenly, Sawyer whirled around and lunged at them with his teeth bared in a snarl. "RAAA_AAAAARRR!!"_

Leaves flew and branches crunched as both Charlie and Hurley fled the clearing with a speed that would have put Olympic sprinters to shame. Sawyer chuckled wickedly as Sayid sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "You never change, do you, Sawyer?"

Instantly, Sayid regretted his choice of words as Sawyer turned an amused gaze towards him. "I try not to, boy."

With that, Sawyer made a gracious nod of farewell, and gave the knot at his hip an extra tightening pull. Then he turned and strolled away, whistling a tune as he vanished from sight.

****

--

Not far away, Jack stood with his bare back pressed against the rough bark of a tree, wondering how in the world he was going to get out of this situation.

He wasn't sure how he'd gotten this far from the Dharma station; his best guess was that he'd wandered off course in the dust and confusion following the detonation. Still, at least he was standing on two legs instead of four. But, he told himself with a grimace, that didn't change the fact that his only two options at the moment were to stand around hoping for a miracle, or walk all the way back to the beach camp _au naturel_.

A crunching noise of footsteps met his ears, and he blinked in surprise. Craning his neck to look around the wide tree that was his only current shelter, he saw who was approaching, bit back a curse, and immediately ducked back again.

"John," he observed, his voice neutral, yet faintly exasperated.

"Jack," the other replied evenly, making no move to approach him.

Then Jack's expression turned puzzled. _Wait a second..._ He peered back around the tree. Locke was fully dressed, right down to his shoes and backpack. "Where'd you get the clothes?" Jack asked, trying not to sound accusatory.

Locke shrugged. "Had 'em in my pack." He turned away as if to keep walking.

"Um..." Jack leaned forward as best as he could without exposing himself further. "I don't suppose you've got any extra..."

Locke shook his head. "Sorry, Jack." He didn't _sound _particularly sorry, however. "But don't worry. I'm sure you'll figure something out."

Jack grimaced. "Right."

He watched in silence as Locke shouldered his pack and turned to leave. However, something about his tense posture, his flat tone of voice, made Jack feel a flicker of concern. He called out: "John. Seriously...are you OK?"

Locke stopped, and didn't reply for a long time. Finally, his voice clipped and emotionless, he said, "Yes, I'm fine." Then he started forward again, and didn't look back.

Jack was left alone in the jungle. Not for long, however, as he heard light, quick footsteps approaching from the other direction. He groaned inwardly, and called out, "Who's there?"

"It's me," Kate's voice replied. Even without seeing her, he could hear the amusement in her voice.

"Ah." He wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or worried. "OK," he began. "Listen, Kate, I need you to do something for me. If you could head back to the beach and go to my tent, there's a blue suitcase next to the medical supplies. If you could just bring me..."

He cut himself off as a pair of pants sailed out of the jungle and plopped into the dirt at his feet. They were followed in rapid succession by a dark red shirt, two socks, some slightly beat-up sneakers, and, after a slight but significant pause, a pair of boxer shorts.

Jack looked at the pile of clothes. "Ah," he said, fighting down an embarrassed smile. "OK."

He could feel Kate's smirk radiating through the tree from the other side as he began to dress himself. Trying to distract her from the business at hand, he called out, "Is everyone else OK?"

"As far as I know," her voice called back. "While I was tracking you, I saw a couple more sets of footprints heading back towards the beach." She paused, then continued in mischievous tones, "Not sure how _they _got around the whole clothes thing."

Jack shook his head with a self-deprecating grimace. He might have known she wouldn't be so easily distracted. He pulled the shirt over his head, then tugged out the key-cord that still hung around his neck, the familiar weight of the key settling against his chest. As he sat down to pull on his socks and shoes, he felt an itch behind his right ear, and experienced a moment's mental paralysis as he worked out how to scratch it. "Is Sayid with you?"

"He's back at the station, dismantling the machine," she replied. "Salvaging anything useful, breaking apart the rest. Said he didn't want to run the risk of it ever being used again."

"Somehow?" Jack observed dryly, tying up his shoes, "I can't argue with that."

Fully dressed, he rose to his feet, and paused for a moment to regain his composure. Then he stepped around the tree and smiled at Kate, who smiled back. She raised her right hand as if taking an oath, and teased, "Honest, I didn't look."

Jack shrugged. "We should get back to camp," he said, then yawned widely, dragging his hand across his face. "'Scuse me."

Kate looked at him askance. "Maybe you should rest first."

He shook his head. "I'm all right," he insisted, but another yawn made a liar of him. "OK, fine," he grudgingly admitted. He sat down against the tree and made a great show of leaning back and closing his eyes. "There. Happy now?"

She nodded. "Yes." She sat down beside him, resting her back against the rough bark of the trunk.

They sat for a few moments in companionable silence before Kate cleared her throat. "I was wondering..." She hesitated. "If you don't mind me asking, I can't help but be curious..."

Without opening his eyes, Jack observed, "You want to know what it was like being a w--" He found himself unable to say the word. "What it was like," he amended, a bit lamely.

"Well," she admitted with a faint smile, "Yeah."

He opened his eyes, but remained silent for a few moments. Finally, he said, "I don't really remember."

"Oh, come on," Kate protested, sitting forward and looking over at him. "You've gotta remember _something_."

Jack shrugged. "Just...random sensations, really. Images. Smells." He shook his head ruefully. "Way too many smells."

She regarded him skeptically. "And that's all."

He nodded. "Yeah. That's all."

She shrugged. "OK, then." Kate rose to her feet, brushing a few clinging leaves off her pant legs. "Well, if you ever remember more and you want to talk about it..."

With a tired smile, Jack assured, "I'll let you know."

Kate crossed her arms and ordered, "Now get some sleep."

He nodded. "Yes, ma'am." She gave a mischievous smile, shouldered her pack, and headed back towards the beach. Her footsteps faded out of hearing, and Jack was left alone.

He lay back against the tree, listening to the jungle, feeling the faint morning breeze on his face. He tried to think back on what had happened yesterday, but the memories were slippery and elusive, evading his grasp.

_Probably just as well_, he told himself. _Not like there's anything about it I'd really want to remember. _Jack shut his eyes again, folded his arms in his lap, and fell into a deep, sound sleep.

****

--

In his dreams, hot breath rushed in and out of his lungs, trees blurring past him in the darkness as his paws beat a thudding rhythm against the earth. There was no thought, no hesitation, no fear. The wolf ran knowing ran knowing what he was, what he was meant to do, beyond any doubt or question.

When he woke, he would forget again, and lose himself in the human's endless maze of thoughts and feelings. But for now...there was only the run, and the hunt.

For the wolf, that was enough.


End file.
